\n(The Dilbert Mission Statement Generator<\/a>)<\/p>\n
Guy Kawasaki<\/a> recommends that any organization seeking to create a mission statement will do as well as to use the Dilbert Mission Statement Generator<\/a> as pay the big bucks for a consultant who will help your organization develop one. In the case of congregations, I concur: developing \u00e2\u20ac\u0153mission statements\u00e2\u20ac\u009d may not only be ineffective, but ultimately contrary to the nature of congregations as communities of faith. Communities are bound by covenants and by trust, not by contracts, dictates, or statements produced by a few. And, unlike corporations, communities are evolutionary and developmental. Meaning that unlike corporations, where what you get at the beginning is what you always<\/i> get, communities must change (develop, adapt) or die. Therefore no mission statement will ever have much of a shelf life. <\/p>\n But, congregations have a penchant for modeling corporate structures, processes, and products. And so no self-respecting congregation today will be without its mission statement. But ask a group of randomly picked church members in those very congregations and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m willing to wager that most will not be able to tell you what the mission is or the statement says (and not a few will respond, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What mission statement? We have a mission statement?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d). <\/p>\n Below are links to the Children’s Ministry mission statements of some congregations. As you read through these ask yourself:<\/p>\n Promiseland Children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Ministry<\/a> (Willow Creek Community Church)<\/p>\n Christian Family Chapel<\/a><\/p>\n Carmel Baptist Church <\/a><\/p>\n Crossroads Church<\/a><\/p>\n Valley Vineyard Church<\/a><\/p>\n Kempsville Baptist Church<\/a><\/p>\n Crossroads Church, Corona CA<\/a><\/p>\n Grace Church, St. Louis<\/a><\/p>\n Concord Baptist Church<\/a><\/p>\n Oceanside Christian Fellowship<\/a><\/p>\n Westminster Presbyterian Church<\/a><\/p>\n Sugar Land Bible Church<\/a><\/p>\n Church on the Move<\/a><\/p>\n Clear Lake Church of Christ<\/a><\/p>\n Mission statements can be part of the process of intentionality in an organization. But the key word is “process” not the overfocus on the “product” or on producing a well-parsed statement. Congregations are communities of faith—ultimately, they need different than what a corporate mission statement is able to provide. <\/p>\n I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been doing a survey of children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ministries in preparation for some new courses. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been intrigued by the use of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153mission statements\u00e2\u20ac\u009d by children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ministry programs in congregations. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got mixed feelings about mission statements in general. As someone … Continue reading \n
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